The Philadelphia Eagles have been busy this offseason, and yet, you can make an argument that their biggest move (which could see star wide receiver A.J. Brown get traded) hasn’t even been made yet. General manager Howie Roseman has never been afraid to shake things up, and that has rang true once again this offseason.
In preparation for Brown’s potential departure, Roseman selected former USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon with the No. 20 overall pick in the draft. However, the team also added another pass catcher in the second round in Vanderbilt Commodores tight end Eli Stowers, and one NFL insider believes he could quickly turn himself into an immediate contributor for Philadelphia.
Eli Stowers Predicted to Be an Immediate Contributor for the Eagles in 2026
The Eagles did well to get Lemon after he fell down the board in the first round, but landing Stowers with the No. 45 overall pick may have been even more impressive. While the team has Dallas Goedert leading the way for now, Philly hasn’t exactly been shy in its effort to find a potential replacement for him, which is precisely what Stowers could end up being.
Stowers spent the final two years of his collegiate career with Vanderbilt, and he ended up turning himself into one of the top tight end prospects in this draft class. In 2025, Stowers earned All-American honors after he caught 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns. While he’s not known for his blocking abilities, Stowers can make a big play anytime he has the football in his hands.
While the exact makeup of Philadelphia’s offense is unknown, thanks to Brown’s status being up in the air for the time being, it’s clear that, beyond DeVonta Smith and Goedert, pretty much every role is going to be up for grabs. That means Stowers could earn snaps right from the get-go, and if you ask NFL insider Jason La Canfora, it sounds like he is expecting big things from him as a rookie.
“When Stowers got past the Ravens with the 45th pick, the Eagles were doing cartwheels,” La Canfora told casino.us. “‘I don’t know why they didn’t take him, but we were happy as (heck) they didn’t,’ one Eagles source said … Several evaluators told me they felt like Stowers was right there with Oregon TE Kenyon Shadiq … ‘I’d rather have Stowers where (Eagles general manager) Howie (Roseman) got him than Sadiq where he went,’ one longtime personnel exec told me.”
Eagles Hoping Eli Stowers Can Immediately Factor into Their Offense
GettyThe Philadelphia Eagles drafted Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft
Philly has also added Marquise Brown, Elijah Moore, and Dontayvion Wicks into the mix at the wide receiver position, but none of those guys feature the sort of upside that Stowers possesses. If he can hit the ground running, the Eagles may not even think twice about Brown’s potential departure by the time October rolls around.
Making the transition to the NFL is never easy, but the first thing every player needs when it comes to making an immediate impact is an opportunity. Regardless of whether Brown gets traded or not, Stowers is going to have a shot to earn snaps in Week 1, and it seems like folks around the league are expecting big things from him.
Eagles Rookie Draws Bold Prediction from NFL Insider